Topeka  A House budget subcommittee on Monday voted to subtract $75,000 from Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposed office budget after a legislator complained about Brownback hiring a consultant to help write his tax overhaul.

State Rep. Nile Dillmore, D-Wichita, successfully pushed through the motion to subtract the funds. The recommendation will next go to the full House Appropriations Committee.

Dillmore said he was he was unhappy that Brownback hired Art Laffer, a nationally known supply-side economist, as a consultant on Brownback’s proposed overhaul of the state tax code.

Laffer was hired for $75,000 to advise Brownback administration officials on the proposed tax reform structure.

Based in Nashville, Tenn., Laffer is obligated to make three visits to Kansas. Last month, he made his first visit and spoke to members of the Senate and House tax committees.

Dillmore said Kansas has enough smart people to work on tax policy without hiring an outside consultant.

He said Laffer will probably still get paid for his work, but Brownback’s office budget would be reduced under Dillmore’s proposal.

Brownback has proposed phasing out the state income tax, eliminating numerous deductions and keeping in place the temporary state sales tax of 6.3 cents per dollar, which under current law is scheduled to fall to 5.7 cents per dollar next year.

Our state leaders want to believe the fairytale pawned off by economist Arthur Laffer (whom the task force has hired for $75,000), who is telling them with lower income taxes, Kansas will attract enough growth to offset much of the lost revenue.

Laffer may be the only renowned economist in America who believes this bunk. If we cut or abolish our income tax, Kansans will pay for it, one way or the other.

Under figures provided by the Kansas Department of Revenue, the group of Kansans with adjusted gross incomes of $25,000 or less currently receive a total tax refund of $1.7 million. Under Brownback’s plan, they would have to pay $86.5 million in taxes, which has been calculated as a 5,102 percent increase. All other income groups would see a tax cut with the largest percentage cut being 18.5 percent for people making $250,000 or more per year.